The Ride?
- Thread starter admaster99
- Start date
Power Surge
Founding Member
If you want it to ride like a Lincoln, sell it and buy a Lincoln. You'll never get a 3000lb unibody leaf spring car to ride like a 4500lb full chassis coil spring car.
However, your MII shouldn't ride "rough", unless someone made it that way. The MII is actually one of the best "riding" vintage Mustangs ever built, due to many of the chassis design features used on the II. Going to a performance shock like the KYB will probably make it worse. I'd suggest changing out all your shocks for something with a variable rate, like a Monroe Sense a Trac or something similar. Also, check over the suspension and make sure there is nothing weird like coil helpers in the front, or something hitting.
Hope this helps.
However, your MII shouldn't ride "rough", unless someone made it that way. The MII is actually one of the best "riding" vintage Mustangs ever built, due to many of the chassis design features used on the II. Going to a performance shock like the KYB will probably make it worse. I'd suggest changing out all your shocks for something with a variable rate, like a Monroe Sense a Trac or something similar. Also, check over the suspension and make sure there is nothing weird like coil helpers in the front, or something hitting.
Hope this helps.
Despite having been sold as having "a big car" feel, the II's ride suffers from a short wheel base and small wheels- both of which are no-nos as far as comfortable rides go. But you can still soften things up a bit by replacing all suspension bushings and adding high quality shocks. In my experience, cheap shocks are typically stiff compared to more expensive ones. As for bushings, go with the cheaper rubber ones and not polyurethane.
I dissagree, you certintantly can make a II ride like a Lincoln.
First get some really long, low rate springs for the front. Then take the rear springs apart and rebuild then with taffy springs and keep them really well greased.
Then get 4 of the cheapest shocks you can find. They may be stiff when they are first installed but will blow out after a short time.
Or install some really tiny air bags in stead of hte springs and run all air lines into a air resavoir/ tank.
Finally write to Europe and get some fat and tall 13" tires.
You'll be left with a smoothe riding road barge that wallows in corners and dives on braking and would have me crapping my pants in all but the most mundane of circumstances.
First get some really long, low rate springs for the front. Then take the rear springs apart and rebuild then with taffy springs and keep them really well greased.
Then get 4 of the cheapest shocks you can find. They may be stiff when they are first installed but will blow out after a short time.
Or install some really tiny air bags in stead of hte springs and run all air lines into a air resavoir/ tank.
Finally write to Europe and get some fat and tall 13" tires.
You'll be left with a smoothe riding road barge that wallows in corners and dives on braking and would have me crapping my pants in all but the most mundane of circumstances.
Hahaha! ok you all made your point but I seriously think that mine rides a lot worst then the average Mustang II, and I dont no why when I hit a bump it looks like the dash is going to fall apart. And the steering bounces all over the place I hate that. It does look like maybe the guy who had it before made some mods like it looks like it is lowered in the front and jacked up in the back. Also I think this car has over 200,000 miles before it was fixed up but I'm not sure but if it does I bet everything is worn down.
throwing you over bumps?? do you got a tire wearing problems.
do you know how to check a front end, ball joints tie-rods and strut-rod bushings?? if you already checked this stuff try a set of front shocks and a good alignment..
you also need to find out if you got saggy springs or a lowered f.end
some guys simply heat a portion of a f.spring coil to lower them or cut a piece off which is the perfect way to kill a good set of springs..
do you know how to check a front end, ball joints tie-rods and strut-rod bushings?? if you already checked this stuff try a set of front shocks and a good alignment..
you also need to find out if you got saggy springs or a lowered f.end
some guys simply heat a portion of a f.spring coil to lower them or cut a piece off which is the perfect way to kill a good set of springs..
I can almost guarantee you that if the car is lowered in front, and raised in back, the alignment angles (caster especially) are going to be WAY off.
IIs can be difficult to get aligned properly , especially with some age on them, and with mods like that, it's near impossible. Many so-called alignment techs have little to no knowledge of how to use the information the equipment gives them, so your car falls victim to the "set the toe, collect the dough, let it go" mentality. Our local Firestone store is among them. If possible, seek out a shop that specializes in alignment, rather than a one size fits all shop. No offense to the guys that DO know what they're doing, it's just that there aren't many who do. I work in the collision repair business, so I have a pretty good handle on the importance of "getting it right" when it comes to making a car drive right. And to be fair, many people in my business haven't a clue, either.
By virtue of the strut rod design, the lower control arm gets driven back over time, making caster low, and camber hard to achieve in the desired range. Low (or worse yet, negative) caster will cause the car to wander and be difficult to keep going straight. By raising the rear, they have lowered what little caster adjustment was available to start with.
I have found that adding an extra washer or two to the strut rods before installing the bushings will move the control arm back up where a good caster sweep and acceptable camber can be achieved. It also helps alleviate the wheel being too far back in the fender opening, which can cause rub issues with larger than stock tire sizes, not to mention it just looks bad. I've got about 15000 miles on my last alignment, and the car goes down the road very nicely, doesn't wander, and isn't wearing tires. I set it up with as much caster as I could get, and the camber close to "0".
I also have Fox mustang springs that have been trimmed about 1 coil in the front to achieve a level ride height. The main thing to remember with trimming coil springs is that you want to keep heat buildup to a minimum. I use a cutoff wheel (chop saw) to do mine. Never use a torch to cut a spring.
IIs can be difficult to get aligned properly , especially with some age on them, and with mods like that, it's near impossible. Many so-called alignment techs have little to no knowledge of how to use the information the equipment gives them, so your car falls victim to the "set the toe, collect the dough, let it go" mentality. Our local Firestone store is among them. If possible, seek out a shop that specializes in alignment, rather than a one size fits all shop. No offense to the guys that DO know what they're doing, it's just that there aren't many who do. I work in the collision repair business, so I have a pretty good handle on the importance of "getting it right" when it comes to making a car drive right. And to be fair, many people in my business haven't a clue, either.
By virtue of the strut rod design, the lower control arm gets driven back over time, making caster low, and camber hard to achieve in the desired range. Low (or worse yet, negative) caster will cause the car to wander and be difficult to keep going straight. By raising the rear, they have lowered what little caster adjustment was available to start with.
I have found that adding an extra washer or two to the strut rods before installing the bushings will move the control arm back up where a good caster sweep and acceptable camber can be achieved. It also helps alleviate the wheel being too far back in the fender opening, which can cause rub issues with larger than stock tire sizes, not to mention it just looks bad. I've got about 15000 miles on my last alignment, and the car goes down the road very nicely, doesn't wander, and isn't wearing tires. I set it up with as much caster as I could get, and the camber close to "0".
I also have Fox mustang springs that have been trimmed about 1 coil in the front to achieve a level ride height. The main thing to remember with trimming coil springs is that you want to keep heat buildup to a minimum. I use a cutoff wheel (chop saw) to do mine. Never use a torch to cut a spring.
I don't know alot about suspension but I know the handling is horrible when going around a turn at about 45 mph it feels like I'm going to flip it and I have to slow down. Also I notice when driving at high and low speeds it always wants to turn to the right no matter where I'm at I don't know if thats because my steering rack or the suspension because I know my steering rack has to be replaced. I know if he caught one spring shorter then the other that might cause that wouldn't it. I dont know how to check the ball joints or the bushings. So any advice would help. What should I look at doing or getting replaced, Also the back tires are 14" tires and the fronts are 13" tires and there all brand new. thanks
Dano78
Founding Member
KYB shocks are definately not the answer. THey will ride quite a bit stiffer. I have a set on my Fastback.
Similar threads
